Life saving device



y 1956 L. WOLSHIN 2,753,574

LIFE SAVING DEVICE Filed July 12, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ficai.

INVENTOR. Lows WOLSHW,

y 1956 L. WOLSHIN 2,753,574

LIFE SAVING DEVICE! Filed July 12, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

INVENTOR. Lows WoLsHm,

A TTORNEY.

lLlllFlE SAVING DEVICE Louis Wolshin, Hialeah, Fla. Application July 12, 19541, derial No. 442,575 a tlllaims. (Cl. 9-19) This invention relates to life saving equipment and has particular reference to such equipment that is supported upon the body of a life guard for use in the rescue of drowning persons.

An object of the invention resides in providing a pair of substantially identical inflatable devices that are foldable in a deflated condition for compact storage in a convenient belt supported pouch, whereby the devices may be conveniently carried to a point of rescue to be subsequently easily inflated and discharged from the pouch in a manner that will not interfere with the life guard promptly swimming to the point of rescue, and which will not impede his actions in inflating and presenting the life saving device to a drowning person or a person in difliculty.

A further object of the invention resides in a novel form of inflatable rescue device that is formed in two substantially identical semi-circular members and with each member being separate and independent of the other, and with each member provided with an independent inflation mechanism having a pull-cord that projects beyond the opposite ends of the pouch when the devices are in the deflated and packed condition and with the pull devices being conveniently located at a point whereby the life guard may inflate first one and then the other of the devices, depending upon the number of persons to be rescued.

A further object of the invention resides in an inflatable life saving equipment that is packed in a relatively small pouch in compact form and with the pouch being so constructed that upon the inflation of a selected inflatable device, that portion of the pouch will be automatically opened under the influence of the expansion of the device and projected in fully inflated condition whereby the life guard may present it to a person in difliculty or whereby the device may be bodily attached to the person.

The invention further contemplates an elongated tow cord that is likewise stored within the pouch with a portion thereof projecting outwardly of the pouch to be grasped by the life guard and with the tow cord being adjustable to form a body encircling loop at one end and a snap hook at the opposite end, whereby the tow cord may be conveniently snapped into engagement with a ring carried by each of the inflatable devices, thereby providing a convenient means whereby a person in difliculty may be manually towed to safety, while being supported by the inflated device.

A further object of the invention resides in novel connecting means between the two inflatable devices, whereby the devices may be used individually or connected together to form a body encircling support and with at least one of the inflatable devices being provided with a plurality of connecting means whereby the two inflatable devices when connected together may be adjustable as to their body encircling diameter to support a child or an adult.

A further object of the invention resides in a novel means whereby one semi-circular inflatable device and a tow cord can be employed to conveniently support an individual within the device against slipping therefrom.

A further object of the invention resides in novel means whereby the belt may be easily and quickly attached to the opposite free ends of either of the inflatable devices to serve as an enclosure device to prevent a person slipping therefrom.

Structural features of novelty and arrangement of parts will be more readily apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein has been illustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary rear elevation of a body supported pouch wherein is supported in compact form the inflatable devices and showing the same supported upon a body encircling belt of a life guard,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the supporting pouch and the body encircling belt,

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a supporting pouch, parts being broken away for sake of clearness and showing the individual inflatable devices stored therein with their actuating cords projected beyond the ends of the pouch,

Figure 4 is an enlarged top plan view of a pair of inflated devices in separated form,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-section illustrating the inflatable device in a deflated condition,

Figure 6 is a top plan view illustrating the inflatable devices connected together as a body encircling member, and

Figure 7 is a plan view illustrating the use of a body encircling belt as a combined body supporting guard and a tow means.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a pouch, formed of any desirable and preferably waterproof material. The pouch is formed from a generally rectangular sheet of material whose edges are reinforced in any desirable manner with the sheet being folded upon itself as shown in Figure 2. Separable snap fasteners 6 are spaced around the marginal edges of the pouch and serve to maintain the pouch in a position to house inflatable devices, to be presently described. One wall of the pouch is provided with loops 7 that slidably receive a body encircling belt 8. The belt 8 is adjustable in length as shown at 9. One end of the belt is provided with a ring 10 and the opposite is provided with a snap hook 11. An additional ring 12 may be carried by the belt intermediate its length.

The numerals 13 and 14 designate a pair of substantially identical inflatable semi-circular tubes that are closed at their opposite ends. The tubes may be formed of any desirable material, such as rubber or plastic, that is calculated to withstand a desired inflation pressure. Each of the tubes 13 and 14 are provided at one end with an attaching ring 15 and at its opposite end with a preferably swiveled snap hook 16. The tube 13 is preferably provided with additional rings 17, for a purpose to be presently described. Each of the tubes 13 and 14 inwardly of adjacent end portions are provided with inflation devices 18. The inflation devices 18 are of conventional construction and are characterized by a tubular body portion 19 wherein is disposed the well known puncturable cartridges. The cartridges are of the type: commonly employed in various life saving jackets, life boats and the like. The cartridges are maintained within the tubes 19 by removable caps 20. The tubes 19 at one end are extended to provide a pivotal point 21 for a trigger arm 22,- through themedium'of which the trigger arm may serve'to actuate the well known-mechanism for puncturing an end of the cartridge to permit a flow of its gas to the interior of the tubes 13 or 14. The trigger22 is provided with -a flexibiepull cord-23 having'aknob' '24. The tube 10has communication with the interior 'of the inflatable tubes 13 or'14 through' the m'edium'of a tubular coupling 25 that h'assealedengagement through a wall of the tubes 13 and 14.

In the use of the device, the tubes 13 and 14in the deflated condition as'shownin Figure 5 are folded upon themselves'into compact form with their inflation devices 18 preferably uppermost. A tow cord'26 of any desirablematerial is providediat one endwith a preferably swiveledsnap hook 27"and at its oppositeend, the cord is provided 'with'a slide device Z8through the medium. of whicha loop 29"may beconveniently formed and adjtusted" for engagement with the body of the life guard,

preferably over the neck. When the tubes 13 and 14 are packed within the pouch 5, the snap hook 2'7 may be engagedwith one of the'rings 15. The majorlength of the tow' cord 26 is likewise folded within the pouch with a portion thereof projecting therebeyond, as clearly shown in Figure 2, thus, when the device is to be. employed in an emergency, the lifeguard may conveniently reach around and'pull the tow cord upwardly and slip it over his head. After the tubes 13 and 14 are folded into compact form, they are placed upon the surface of the open pouch and the pouch then folded upon itself and the several snap fasteners 6 engaged to hold the tubes in their packed condition against accidental displacement.- As thepouchisfolded, the. pull cords-23 are positioned so that their knobs 24 extend outwardly beyond the ends of the .pouch for convenient engagement-by the hand of the operator. The pouch as now fully packed and closed is engagedwith the belt 8 and strapped about the body of 'the life guard withthe pouch being disposed at the back of the life guard, preferably adjacent one side.

Now, when. the life guard observes a person in diificulty, heimmediately proceeds to swim toward the person in distress. He may, if desired, pull the tow cord 26 outwardly and engage the: loop 29 over the shoulder or he may engagethe tow cord at the point of rescue. It is important that the tubes 13 and 14 remain in the deflated condition while. the life guard is swimming to the scene ofrescue, thusoffering no impediment to the free use of his arms and legs in traversingthe distance from shore to the point of rescue in a minimum oftime. Upon reachingthe scene of the rescue operation, the life guard.

then reaches rearwardly, grasping the knob24 and. pulls it downwardly, causingthe trigger 22' to puncture the cartridge within the tube 19. This permits the flow of gas into the tube 13 or 14, as the'case may be, causing it to expand and, under the. influence of the expansion, the snapfasteners-6 will be separated to release andproject the expanded tube and its; companion deflated tube. should-be here. pointed. out, that when the tubes are packed into the. pouch,,they are preferably hooked togetherv at oneend. conseious,,the life guardahands him the inflated tube, whereby he will besafely. supported in the water. If the person is-unable to maintain'hisholdupon the tube, the life guard may then train the tow cord.26 through the snap hook. 16, it. beingassumed that the hook 27 is already-insnap engagement-with the ring 15, thus, by pullingupon the tow cord-16; the person-being rescued is securely lookedwithin the expanded tube and the life guard may proceedto'tow-'him'to-shore. In the event of damage tothe-first'tube to'b'e expanded, the second tube is always ready for instant inflation and use. While thc' infl'ation devices 18 are. provided, it iscontemplated that an additionmeans may be provided whereby the tubes may be inflated by the. mouthin the event of leakagewhile in .use. It sometime-happens that two ormore If the person to .be rescued is-fully persons are in difficulty at the same time. The life guard then'releases firstone tube 13 and then the other tube 14 in a similar manner, presenting each of the persons in distress with an inflated tube. Now, should both persons be in distress, one person may be locked within his respective tube by the training of the tow cord 6 through the snap hook 16, as above described, and the life guard then proceeds to release the belt from his body and, by engaging the snap hook 11 within a ring 15, and the ring 12 within its companion snap hook 1d, the second person may be securely locked within the tube against-slipping therefrom. The life guard may then proceed. to tow both persons to safety, having in mind that the loop 29 is engaged over his neck, while he may employ the extended end of the belt as a tow line for the second person; or, should he desire to have both arms free for swimming, the ring it may be engaged with the snap hook 16 of the tube supporting the second individual whereby the life guard may proceed to tow thetwo personsin tandem. Where the tubes 13 and 14 are to be employed jointly as a body encircling device, their respective rings and snap hooks 15 and 16 may be engaged as shown in Figure 6, thusforming in effect a completering. This is desirable for unusually large persons and the diameter of the device as in Figure 6 may be adjustable by engaging a snap hook 16 in either of the rings 17. it is desirable that the tubes and their respective inflation devices be packed and arranged so that the operation of the pull cords 23 will be in a downward direction, thus greatly facilitating the actuation of the inflation device.

ltwill be apparent from the foregoing that a very simple and highly effective life saving. equipment has.

been provided. The device while shown as embodying two inflatable sern-circular tubes may obviously embody one or more if so desired. The device is so compact as to offer no resistance to the free action of the life guard in reaching the scene of distress. Life saving equipment presently in use has included a very cumbersome can device that must be towed to the point of rescue, requiring a very considerable effort of the life guard in reaching the scene of distress in a minimum of time. It is pointed out that a matter of seconds may mean the difference between a successful rescue or'the' death of the person in distress, and it has been found that'the use of the rescue can so greatly retards the life guard in his swimming. to the person in distress that much valuable,

time has. elapsedduring the towing action. This is especially true inrough weather Where the waves are.

unusually high and frequently in attempting to tow the cans to.the point of rescue, the life guard is thrown back to the point of safety. With the device of this invention, thelife guard may quickly reach the scene of thev accident, trip the inflation device and either present it'to.

inventionas determined'by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having describ'ed myinvention,- what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patentis:

l. A life. saving-deviceof the'character' describedfor support upon'a: bodyencircling belt carried by a life-. guard, a pouch supported upon the belt,a plurality of semi-circularinflatabletubes supported within the punchin a deflated andi folded; condition, means carried by each of the tubes whereby thetubes may be individually inflated, means connected with the inflation means where The device has wide use as a rescueby to actuate either of the inflation means and with the last named means projecting outwardly of the pouch for manual control of the inflation means, the inflation of either of the tubes causing an adjacent overlying area of the pouch to open for discharging the inflated tube, a body engaging tow cord that is housed in the pouch with a portion thereof projecting outwardly of the pouch whereby to facilitate the engagement thereof by the life guard, the tow cord provided with means for detachably connecting one end thereof with one end of either of the tubes, detachable connecting means between the tubes when in the inflated condition, and means carried by the body encircling belt that has detachable connection with the opposite ends of a tube to securely support the tube upon an individual against accidental displacement, the body encircling belt when connected to an inflated tube providing a tow line for the individual.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the pouch is formed of a sheet of material folded upon itself and with the marginal edges being provided with mating spaced apart separable snap-fasteners whereby the pouch is releasably held in a pouch-forming position to be separated under the influence of an expanding tube to permit the discharge of the tube, the pouch being provided with belt engaging loops upon its outer face for the reception of the body encircling belt.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein each of the semi-circular tubes are formed of flexible and waterproof material, the ends of each tube being sealed, the said inflation means comprising a compressed gas containing cartridge holder carried by each of the tubes adjacent one end and with the holders having communication with the interior of the tubes, the holders being of a type that are provided with a trigger mechanism for the manual actuation to puncture the cartridge and inflate the tube, the detachable connecting means between the tubes being mating and with the connecting means being carried by the ends of each tube whereby the tubes may be connected together to form an enclosing ring and means for adjustably connecting adjacent ends of the tube to vary the diameter of the enclosing ring.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the detachable connecting means for each tube embodies a snaphook at one end of the tube and a ring at the opposite end of the tube, one of the tubes inwardly from its ring carrying end being provided with a plurality of spaced apart rings for the selective reception of a snap-hook carried by the other tube.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the tow cord is provided at one end with a snap-hook whereby to provide the detachable connection with a ring carried by one end of either tube, the tow cord at its opposite end being provided with an adjustable loop for engagement with the body of the lifeguard.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the body encircling belt is adjustable in length, the said detachable connection between the belt and the opposite ends of a tube embodying a snap-hook that is disposed at one terminal end of the belt and a ring that is supported intermediate the ends of the belt and with the ring and the snap-hook being connected to the opposite ends of a tube through the medium of the said detachable connecting means of the tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,297,648 Bressler Mar. 18, 1919 2,095,974 Finch Oct. 19, 1937 2,264,321 Manson Dec. 2, 1941 2,413,985 Manson et a1 Jan. 7, 1947 2,451,475 Craig Oct. 19, 1948 2,615,182 Podell Oct. 28, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 116,854 Germany Jan. 21, 1901 149,068 Austria Mar. 25, 1937 555,557 Great Britain Aug. 27, 1943 

